I've come here several times. Service and food were great prior to this last visit to the restaurant. This time the service felt rushed and when asking about the food we got directed to the menu. I asked for my fruit water to have minimal ice and then I was given a glass half full. The tacos were watery and plain. I will not be coming back. read more

We waited a long time to be seated, even though there were a few tables avail. We got comped sone chips with guacamole, but that doesn't cut it for me. The food was really good so I've upped the review to 3 stars instead of just one. read more

What a great place! The ambiance is welcoming and the staff is friendly and efficient. Best of all, the food is excellent!

Food is good but overpriced, and the wait is long usually. I ordered the comal swizzle from the bar and it was amazing, highly recommend!

I know if I dragged my ass to Berkeley, it had better be good. I was happily surprised by how much I loved the experience of Comal. As you walk in, you get an instant take that you're somewhere fun, stylish and filled with good energy. The fact that they were blasting the Clash didn't exactly hurt either. The room is gorgeous and you can tell no expense was spared. One sip of the Jack Satan and bite of their insane guacamole, I knew I'd be back. Everything we ordered was good (except for chicharrones bar snack which were stale). The Cauliflower quesadilla was remarkable. My only gripe is that we were seated in the back of the restaurant, which was parallel to an outside door that kept being opened. it brought the draft in and was kind of distracting. What's out there if no one is seated? Overall, this is an exciting addition to the East Bay's ever-expanding rockstar dining scene. read more

This review is for drinks only. I was excited to have cocktails at Comal since I am a tequila and mezcal and saw how inventive they were. Alas, I found that despite their extensive cocktails and spirits menu, Comal is not particularly open to those who want to drop in for an after dinner drink and some chips and salsa. I ended up coming with a group of about 5 people who wanted to do the same and they were reluctant to seat us at a table that could be used for diners. So we decided to sit in the open bench area out back, and tried to order some appetizers. We were promptly informed that there is no food outside of the heated outdoor area. Great drinks, great selection, too many rules. Too bad. read more

Nice new place with great mexican dishes and decent ambiance. The outside patio in the rear is terrific, but unfortunately the service back there was slow and not well organized. Drinks were decent but small for the price, guacamole and chips for $8 is a good deal, and the duck enchilada and Brussels sprouts were terrific. I heard some people didn't like ribeye, but I wonder why anyone would order ribeye at Mexican restaurant - would they do that at Italian or Chinese restaurant? Overall, great food and would be 5 stars if better service in patio and bigger drinks. read more

A bunch of us had wanted to go to Comal for a while. We had all heard good things about the food, drinks, atmosphere, snazzy sound system and were excited to finally make it in... We walked in on a Monday, and it wasn't too busy (this was good since we ended up with a larger party than we had anticipated.) They were able and happy to accommodate us. The three of us who got there early sat at the back bar and started warming up with cocktails. The Jack Satan is one of my new favorite drinks... nice combination of spicy and sweet. We also had the chips, salsa and guacamole, but the food comes later... The outside area is super relaxing, I just wish it hadn't been cloudy. Eventually the rest of our party arrived and we made our way to our table inside... we spent the first few minutes marveling at the construction. Comal really is a beautifully designed space... it's elegant and pleasing to look at, as well as being warm and inviting. The sound system is highly awesome. While you're at your table, you don't hear anything from the other tables, but you do hear ambient noise and music. The noise is so quiet that you don't even have to raise your voice at all to talk... it is awesome. (Ambiance 5 stars) Service was good... our server was great, but there was a moment where the three of us were standing by the front bar, and the host asked us (in a very nervous tone) not to lean on one of the hightop tables (even it was completely empty) That was weird... Everything came out in a timely manner (though the drinks took a while longer than the food) (Service 4 stars) I wish the food was as good as the environment and service... It wasn't bad by any stretch, but almost everything was missing something that could have made it great Chips and Salsas... This was really good. I just wish the habanero salsa was actually spicy. Mixed baby lettuce salad... nice tossed green salad Guacamole... Needed salt and acid, and a good amount of each... (needing salt was a running theme) Ceviche... Bland. Needed salt/acid/spice from a chile Fish taco... really good. I like the slight spice to it Beef Cheek taco... also really good Lamb barbacoa quesadilla... the star of the evening, by far the best thing we had... so good Hen of the woods quesadilla... was kind of flat... needed salt... when you put salsa on it, it was much better... Tamale... sauce seemed like it wasn't cooked long enough and tasted raw, not stewed and harmonious... needed salt Albondigas... adobo sauce was good, but the meatballs were completely dry and needed salt ... Crab... I didn't get to try this, but everyone seemed to enjoy it Asparagus Gratinado... Really good, definitely order this Chicken... Nicely roasted, tender, seasoned well, good potatoes... rice and beans were okay... a little underseasoned (Food 3 stars) Overall, we had a great evening... I guess I'd say when you go to Comal, just go for the overall experience, because that was really great... we had an awesome time. If you go for the food however, there are definitely hits and misses. Definitely worth checking out read more

Their cocktails are delicious and the ambiance is cute, but I'm disappointed by the food and for the price, it's *definitely* not worth it. We came when it first opened and were super impressed, but our recent visit left us thinking, "Well, we won't come back here again." $90 for not great Mexican food? No thanks. They don't even serve rice and beans with your meal! So you get two enchiladas, which are only okay, for like $11 and then you have to spend another $10 on rice and beans (each sold separately). You read the menu and think the rice will be something special - saffron rice, ooo, fun! - and then it's just kind of bland rice. For that price, you'd think they'd actually include a saffron thread in their recipe. So disappointed. I might come back for the cocktails (they're SF prices - $10 or $12 for a drink) and sit on their cute patio, but other than that, I'll get the same "Berkeley" Mexican food style meal for 1/2 the price at Picante or better, real Mexican food for a 1/4 of the price at Gordo's. Also, the place is loud and you're absolutely PACKED IN with other customers. You'd think that if the food was meh, they would make sure the experience was worth the price, but I did not find this to be the case. Blah. read more

As a vegetarian, I got the Tofu Chile Verde bowl. I asked for it to be spicy but it wasn't at all and the homemade hot sauce was not spicy at all. The portion was not worth $11 and the food was mediocre. The rice was good but tofu was okay, fried and probably marinated. Overall it didn't taste special at all probably better off with portion and quality at Guac66 or Cancun. read more

One of the only places in Berkeley open late for food and cocktails. Life saver after 10PM. The food is a very good Mexican-fusion and it is reasonably priced. I dislike 20% added automatically to my bill, however, the service is usually great, so I would have tipped above 15% anyway. Cocktails are top notch, and they are always able to modify them if I feel like using a different liquor. Nice outside patio at the back and they accommodate larger groups! I had more than 7 friends looking for a table, and it was one of the few places in Berkeley that took us right away! read more

I like this place a lot. It's super fun. Great atmosphere. Incredible cocktails. The food is really good too. The only reason that I'm not giving it five stars is because it's a bit pricey, and the waiters tend to rush the dishes out. Everytime I've eaten here, my table has had fresh plates dumped on us before we finished the prior set of dishes. That being said, I'll keep coming in!!! read more

The drinks were really good and the food was decent as well. I don't think it's the most authentic Mexican cuisine but overall did a good job. I think the best things are the atmosphere and the drinks and beer garden in the back. We waited nearly 1 hr for our table even though we were told 30 minutes. We were able to get drinks and sit in the beer garden in the back however they include a 20% service fee on all food AND drinks which I do not think warrants it. The service was mediocre at best and most of the staff was not attentive and barely helped us out. We had to waive them down them down in order to order our meal or more drinks. It was worth going to once but not sure if I would come back... read more

The food is decent but the service was terrible. We sat at the bar (3 people) and asked to be seated at a table as soon as one became available. We were supposedly next in line but waited and waited and we were never seated at a table. There were several tables open but the waiter mentioned that those tables were for larger parties. We got tired of waiting and just ordered and ate our food at the bar. When we left 40 minutes later, those tables were still empty. Other posters have gotten it right. When you are forced to pay a 20% gratuity regardless of service, there is absolutely no incentive to provide decent service. read more

Came here last Friday for dinner with a friend. The food was good, but the portions were small. I would recommend ordering an appetizer to share, because an entree might not be enough. In our case, we had a snack at BSC around the corner while we waited for our table, so we were pretty good. I had the gorditas, which were delicious, but lacked spice. I wish there had been more flavorful salsa on it - I added the ones that come with my chips. The food is definitely not cheap, especially for the size, so I understand why other reviewers' complaints. But the ambience is gorgeous, and we were there for 3 hours and not once did they ask us to leave. I will be back! read more

My opinion - A place for upper crust pretentious people who don't mind overpaying for Mexican food. Good luck finding a seat as it's a chaotic atmosphere. read more

It's great to have another fresh and thoughtful place to eat high-quality mexican cuisine. We went kinda late one night and found the place about half-full. The design of this place is beautiful. Great details all around. It really feels as though everything was thought about - a lot. Nice. We ordered a Salmon cevice which was delicious. The guacamole was fresh and excellent. But it was the enchiladas with mole that was outstanding. That mole really had the taste of Oaxacan chocolate... so dreamy. I would really give them 4.5 stars b/c of the small pours on our mezcal... but since they have such a nice selection, it's ok. But if you're listening ... lean that bottle down towards the glass a little longer! Oh... and maybe it took a little long to get the drinks... but I'm sure they'll get their routine down. We'll definitely be going back. read more

My friend and I went to dinner here last night. I live in Berkeley and have passed by it multiple times and have been meaning to walk in. Thank goodness I finally did! The ambiance was to die for. You think it looks cool in the front, just ask to sit in their outside heated patio area! The food was delicious, but not crazy authentic Mexican with meat that is unrecognizable. Think Mexican food with a "white-washed" Berkeley style! I am giving this place 4 stars mainly for the ambiance and service was the best! I never felt forgotten nor over-serviced. The servers seemed truly genuine and casual. It is a great place to have a few drinks, share a few dishes, and partake in friendly conversation. read more

I went to Comal after a show at Berkeley Rep. I had confirmed during the intermission that they would be open late. I ordered the guacamole and chips which also comes with three different salsas. The guacamole was delicious, as was the one salsa I tried. But the chips were entirely too greasy. Next, I had the ceviche, which was very fresh, but finding shrimp in the dish was difficult. The ceviche also was served with the greasy chips. Overall, the dining experience was lacking. Go to Comal for the ambience to be enjoyed with a group of friends on their back deck. I would return for happy hour to see if they redeem themselves. read more

Beautiful, trendy but upscale interior. Great back outdoor dining area. Food is pretty good, but expensive. Started off with the fried pork rind chicharonnes which was better than you could get out of a bag, but not that much better. Didn't think much of the french fries. The beef and chicken street tacos were tasty. The roast turkey and three kinds of mole special was just OK. Maybe I should have used more mole sauce on my turkey. Really liked the roasted corn and the garlic string beans. Great service. Street parking only. I'd eat here again,. read more

The atmosphere is awesome. I love the layout and lighting of the place. Food fell short of expectations. I had the Albondigas in Adobo sauce. The flavor of the Adobo wasn't coming through and the meatballs tasted like, well meatballs. Girlfriend had the enchiladas. Same thing, they were okay. The portions did feel alot like tapas sized, then again it wasn't super expensive. read more

The atmosphere at Comal is wonderful. The restaurant is a lot bigger than you expect it to be from the outside, and there's a backyard patio that's even bigger than the interior space, bar and fire pit included. It's cozy, the lighting is warm, and they fit a lot of people in the space, but it still feels spacious. And the wait staff is very friendly. That's about it though for the positive sides though. I think Comal is really overpriced for the amount of food/drinks you get and the quality of that food and drink. I got a margarita for $10 and it was in a small whiskey glass and it was subpar, our table got chips and salsa and guacamole for $9, and the guacamole literally just tasted like smushed avocados (however you can get unlimited refills of their homemade tortilla chips, which were delicious and not too oily), and I got a cod taco and a carne asada taco for $13 with no side dishes and the tacos were barely bigger than street tacos. So overall, I feel like Comal is way overpriced and should barely call itself Mexican food. It's really just white upper-middle class Mexican inspired Californian cuisine. Also, like other reviewers, the mandatory 20% tip wasn't exactly the most friendly welcome to the menu. read more

My DREAM is to have SITDOWN Mexican with really great table service. It seems to be the unicorn in the San Francisco Bay Area. Comal and Dona Tomas is Temescal so far are the closest. I love Comal's variety in menus items BUT WOW! Their bar/cocktail menu is fabulous! So, with that being said, it's an equation to eating at Comal: guacamole which I give TWO thumbs up here, chicharrones, chips, salsa and FISH TACOS with MULTIPLE top shelve margaritas. THAT is what Friday nights are about! Here is what I cannot stand...20%tip included. There have been a handful of times when he service WAS NOT REMOTELY great : forgot to place our kids order, never returned to see what else we would like, didn't take plates away etc. so there's that. I feel like it is MY choice to tip, not theirs. See for yourself, but 4 stats from me currently! read more

In short, the food was good, and my dessert was to die for. We had chips and salsa while waiting. Chips were great, and I really liked 2 of the 3 salsas. Then ensalada picada to start -- nice, but it's a fairly small salad. I had the mole enchiladas with a side of refried beans, and I really needed the beans, as the mole sauce was a bit too intense without them. The star -- Oaxacan chocolate budin. It's topped with just the right amount of salt, which perfects the dish. I want to go back for just dessert again and again. I do not like the cafeteria style / long table seating. If I wanted to be squished in with strangers, I'd go to Paris. read more

My sister and I stopped in for a quick drink and bite at the bar. The experience started off great, the ambiance of Comal is great and we were able to find a seat at the bar no problem. The first bartender to greet us was wonderful. She was friendly and animated and it was appreciated. We ordered the ceviche and a drink each. The ceviche was tasty, super limey and not too spicy. The chips were a little hard but still edible. My drink was good, not amazing but I am always up for trying something new. My sister however said her Moscow mule tasted like straight ginger and had a hard time drinking it. They had a salsa trio that looked appealing so we asked for the salsa and some more chips for our ceviche, no problem right? Well, we weren't informed that the chips were $5, which isn't a huge deal but if I would've known I probably wouldn't have ordered them... I also feel like you should be provided enough chips to finish your ceviche.... They also automatically add 20% to the check which would've been fine if we continued to have the same bartender from the beginning, but the second bartender we had seemed annoyed and was way less friendly. Ending with her and the unexpected $5 kinda left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

This place is amazing. From drinks to food to service. Happy to pay 20% gratuity for such a good meal.

Comal not only has wonderful Mexican food, but also a good ambience. I came here with a group of 9 with reservation at their table 30. It was a family style fixed menu dinner. The highlight of the meal was definitely their guac and chips, hands down the BEST chips I have ever had! MUST try their chips! Mushroom quesadilla, pork and beef meatballs, and short ribs are our favorite too, very flavorful, came with big portion, and my friends were literally fighting for the last piece of short rib lol. The whole spit-roasted chicken looked a little dry, but actually was very tender and juicy, just a little too salty. In terms of deserts, we got flan tradicional, chocolate budin and arroz con leche. The flan was one of my favorite, soft and not too sweet. Arroz con leche tastes like sweet rice porridge, with strawberry and nuts on top, my first time trying it, it was amazing. The chocolate budin was just ok in my opinion. It tastes like thick chocolate mouse but with a little salty and spicy flavor in it. Definitely tastes interesting but i probably won't get it next time. For 9 people, the fixed menu had more than enough food, the portion was big. Their bar was also really good, had all kinds of alcohol options, beers cocktail, wine, tequila. Nice place to hangout and enjoy some good food. read more

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Ordered dinner for delivery and I am so impressed. Portion sizes are huge and prices are very reasonable. The ribs and enchiladas are delicious. A step up from the usual food delivery. read more

The food feels generic, and lifeless. Definitely not fresh ingredients. The drinks were good, but soo pricey and huge wait. I think this all comes from their lack of motivation to get a tip (since it's "automatically" added to your bill). Ugh read more

Comal was so great. Count on the west coast for always serving the best Mexican food. This was a great upscale but kept to traditional roots production of BOMB Mexican food with subtle unexpected flavors. The serving staff were equally as impressive with great recommendations and hospitality skills. Love! read more

This was a nice, trendy spot with some inventive dishes, and very good fish tacos. However, the rest of the dining party issued a resounding "meh." They have specialty drinks and cocktails, and the margaritas were good but the avocado cocktail my friend ordered was strange. read more

I read about Comal a couple weeks and instantly was so excited! We tried to make reservations through their online service but upon our arrival found out it didn't through, so had to wait about 30 minutes. The bar was super crowded so it was difficult to order a drink while we waited, but I imagine once they open the patio the indoor bar will be less congested. Upon getting seated complimentary chips, salsa, and guacamole quickly arrived and we were greeted happily by our server. Service overall was wonderful. Our server was knowledgable about the menu, attentive and friendly. We started off with two tequila flights--- the Mezcal flight is amazing. Do not leave without trying the Bacanova! The only cocktails we tried were the margaritas, which were perfectly refreshing (and strong), but I am looking forward to trying their other cocktails. Now onto the food. We ordered the mussels and carnitas tacos (plenty for two of us along with the chips). The mussels were amazing, served steamed in a garlic, jalapeño and red pepper broth. They tasted fresh and were perfectly cooked, with a tasty kick from the broth. We were offered their special hot sauce, which was a little vinegary for my taste, but added an extra kick of heat. Then we finished off with the carnitas tacos. When we ordered these we were expecting typical tacos with chopped up carnitas and maybe some onion and cilantro. We were delightfully surprised to receive two large tacos with carnitas briskets that had been lightly charred served on homemade fresh tortillas and topped off marinated onion, carrots, and tangerine (yes, tangerine--- who would have thought?!). Overall Comal serves amazing food, drinks, and an ambiance great for a date night or night out with friends. I would suggest perhaps providing table top stands where customers could place large plates or the bottles of water that provide simply to have more table space for the food. Other than that cannot wait to come again when the patio is open! read more

First of all, this is not Mexican food so anyone who wants Mexican food needs to go to another. I would not take any of my Mexican friends to this place because they will laugh and ask me what kind of Mexican food is this. This is a fusion restaurant. If you go with that in mind, you might like it. The quality of food is good but I don't know I would recommend this place even as a fusion restaurant read more

Oh, Comal! How I love to sit on your back patio and enjoy a cocktail like SPF 2020 and some salsa/ guacamole! Your food has been hit or miss, but the hits have outshined the misses so I keep coming back. The zucchini flower quesadilla was amazing. the chile relleno was divine, the fish tacos were great one night (but not as good the next). Always order corn on the cob!!!! My boyfriend gets cravings for it! However, the Tlayuda was yucky! It was bland, it was burnt but soggy, it had a weird after taste. I wanted to send it back. Plus, your rice is bland. I will keep coming back for the drinks and small plate items, but sometimes you make me second guess you as a dinner location. read more

This is what god intended for Mexican food to taste like. You'll never want to eat Mexican food anywhere else, ever. read more

We are here for a birthday party and we ended up having more people (14) here than expected. We were told that it would not be possible to add seats to our table, which is totally understandable. However, Jenny the manager was extremely rude about it- she snidely told us that she was only willing to let the other guests sit at a nearby table "because it was slow" and that we were "sitting at the table that we had reserved" and "next time, there is a private dining room downstairs." With her attitude, no wonder it is "slow" and their manager obviously doesn't see any need to be accommodating to anyone. I haven't even had any food but this place can't be as good as they think they are. read more

This place was ok. The wait wasn't long. The outdoor area was nice and roomy. The food just didn't do it for me. The white ceviche was ok. Nothing special in my opinion. Service was good and the place was crowded so I'm sure maybe other items are better. read more

Creative menu and super cool atmosphere. Really was excited and wanted to love it. Food was decent but our issue was that they kindly include a 20% service charge in lieu of a tip. How thoughtful of them! Relieves them from having to provide any service whatsoever, which really takes away from the whole experience. Pretty disappointed. read more

I would give Comal at least two or three stars as the food is decent, the service just fine, and the ambiance good. What I can't support, though, in principle, is the mandatory 20% tip. By nature, I'm a generous tipper but, last time I checked, a tip is discretionary. If you get excellent service, tipping more than 20% is great. If the service is good, 20%. If it's not great, it should be up to the customer, not the restaurant's management, to decide the amount of the tip. I'll add: if you end up having more than just one beverage, being forced to tip on what are, essentially, refills, doesn't seem to me appropriate. Comal management: Tipping is discretionary. If you're going to mandate a 20% tip because you aren't paying your employees a living wage, you may want to reconsider your business practice and ethics. read more

Super great! The food was delicious, the service was good, great original cocktails! Guacamole handmade, earthy, real, like you'd get in someone's home. Deep flavor in the dishes, enchiladas and chile relleno not over breaded.. read more